UK popular music venues show lowest decline since 2018 as sector stabilizes after pandemic | music

The number of popular music venues (GMV) in the UK actually shrank by just nine in 2025, the lowest annual rate of decline since 2018.

Thirty venues closed permanently between July 2024 and 2025 and 48 venues have ceased to operate as GMVs, due to financial viability, change in ownership, eviction or redevelopment. However, 69 spaces that had previously ceased operating as GMVs have returned to the sector.

Figures show the sector has stabilized five years into the pandemic, according to the Music Venue Trust (MVT) annual report. It generated revenues of £76.6m in 2025 – although more than half of GMVs (53.8%) reported making no profit in this period, with the average profit margin standing at just 2.5%. A total of 38% of GMVs are now non-profits.

Employment in this sector also fell by almost 22%, a significant drop from 30,885 to 24,242 people, with places citing increased employers’ National Insurance as the main reason for job losses.

“The majority of places are one financial shock away from crisis,” MVT said.

In addition, the MVT said the Emergency Response Service dealt with a record number of appeals from venues facing financial insecurity, neighborhood planning applications and pressure from music licensing bodies.

MVT has called on the government to legislate – rather than simply revert to – the introduction of the popular levy, whereby arena and stadium shows in the UK add £1 to all tickets to create a fund to support GMVs.

Currently, this scheme is voluntary. Some venues, including London’s O2 Arena, as well as artists including Sam Fender and Katy Perry, have independently added £1 to ticket prices.

But The Guardian reports that Live Nation, which controls 66% of the UK’s major event ticket market, has not taken up the pledge. In a statement, a spokesperson for the paper told the Guardian it supported the aims of the tax and found it “encouraging” to see artists it worked with choose to join.

MVT has also called on the government to enshrine the change policy factor into law – meaning any new development built next to an existing live music venue must address its own noise protection. In addition, she asked the government to continue working to reduce barriers to touring post-Brexit, and to ensure that funds including the Music Growth Scheme support grassroots talent.

MVT said it would expand, under its own auspices, its frontline site support team and emergency hardship fund, which provides advice and money to prevent what it called “avoidable closures.” It said it would also immediately invest £2 million in programs designed to reduce operating costs, drive efficiencies and improve artist and audience experiences.

Its Liveline touring program is proposed as a “fully-funded solution to the root cause of the touring crisis,” covering venue costs, reducing risks for promoters and guaranteeing artist fees.

MVT has also drawn attention to how deprived many areas of the UK are through grassroots tours. It said that 175 UK towns and cities with at least one GMV did not host any significant touring artists in this period. But The Guardian reports that the UK tourism map is expanding: Last year, Dennis Desmond, head of Live Nation UK & Ireland, said: “Compared to 2015, we are hosting events in 40% more cities across the UK – showing that demand is truly nationwide.”